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Knowledge4Policy
Knowledge for policy

Supporting policy with scientific evidence

We mobilise people and resources to create, curate, make sense of and use knowledge to inform policymaking across Europe.

  • Publication | 2025

Drought in agriculture and climate-smart mitigation strategies

Global Food and Nutrition Security

Drought is arguably the most significant natural hazard affecting agricultural production across all climate zones. The negative impacts of prolonged and severe droughts on agriculture are far reaching and can have cascading effects on food security, economies, and ecosystems. There are effective long-term measures such as building reservoirs, improving early-warning systems, and developing drought-resistant varieties to mitigate drought impacts. These are often expensive and/or labor-intensive measures. We argue that multiple climate-smart practices are cost-effective measures to mitigate drought, especially for shorter-term drought. We synthesize the underlying mechanisms of these agricultural practices for reducing crop water stress. We also discuss the pros and cons of these agricultural practices, particularly the environmental impacts of these agricultural practices, and point out future challenges and opportunities to mitigate crop water stress.